James Hetfield Poems

James HetfieldJames Alan Hetfield (born 3 August 1963, Downey, California) is the main
songwriter, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the American thrash/heavy
metal band Metallica.
Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963, in Downey, Los Angeles County, California.
His family were of German descent. The father, Virgil Hetfield (a truck driver)
and mother, Cynthia (a light opera singer) were devout and strict adherents to
Christian Science, and accordingly, much of his young life revolved around
religion. In accordance with their beliefs, Hetfield's parents strongly
disapproved of medicine or any medical help and remained vigilant in their faith
even as his mother began to die of cancer. Her death and his subsequently
turbulent relationship with religion are both recurring subjects that have been
the focal point of some of Metallica's lyrics (the songs "Mama Said", "Dyers
Eve" and "The God That Failed," are about Hetfield's mother and father, and
"Until It Sleeps" is about cancer, from which both of his parents died).
Hetfield was nine years old when he took his first piano lessons, before taking
on his brother David's drums and finally picking up a guitar at the age of
fourteen. His main influence was Aerosmith, and he has said that they were
the reason why he wanted to play guitar. Other bands such as Black Sabbath, The
Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy also had a major influence on
him. Hetfield formed his first band, Obsession, in his early teens. Composed
of the Veloz brothers on bass and drums, Jim Arnold on guitar, and Hetfield
providing lead vocals, the band spent plenty of time in the Veloz brothers'
garage jamming, with Ron McGovney and Dave Marrs acting as roadies. Marrs and
McGovney subsequently joined the band itself when the Veloz brothers quit.
After moving to Brea, California due to the death of his mother, James attended
Brea Olinda High School and met up with drummer Jim Mulligan. The two jammed at
lunch time, scaring fellow guitarists with their loud and heavy sounds, before
another student named Hugh Tanner was seen carrying around part of a flying V
guitar at school. Hetfield's next band Phantom Lord was born with Tanner on
guitar, Mulligan on drums, and Hetfield singing while also playing guitar. The
group went through a few bass players until graduation, when Hetfield moved back
to Downey.
Once back in Downey, Hetfield moved into a house owned by McGovney's parents
that was slated for demolition due to an expressway expansion. Hetfield talked
McGovney into taking up bass, Phantom Lord disbanded, and then the third band
under Hetfield's leadership, Leather Charm, was born. Hetfield no longer played
guitar and McGovney played bass guitar, while Tanner and Mulligan retained their
former Phantom Lord positions. Leather Charm was largely a hard rock combo,
playing a few originals and in addition to covers, such as Iron Maiden's
"Remember Tomorrow". The band performed at a few parties and recorded a demo,
but then began to fall apart.
Tanner left the band, to be replaced by Troy James. Then Mulligan left for a
more progressive, Rush-like band. Without a drummer, the rest of the band
decided to call it quits. Although it was Mulligan's departure that led to
Hetfield searching for a new drummer, it was Hugh Tanner who introduced him to
Lars Ulrich, which led to the creation of Metallica.